Automatic container tie



Dec. 15, 1964 K, w. TANTLINGER ETAL 3,161,315

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER TIE Original Filed Aug. 21, 1961 United States Patent 3,161,316 AUTOMATHI CQNTAHNER TEE Keith W. Tantlinger, Grosse Pointe Shores, and Richard T. Fujioka, Oxford, Mich, assignors to Fruehauf Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Griginal application Aug. 21, 1961, Ser. No. 132,619, now Patent No. 3,692,282, dated June 4, 1963. Divided and this application Apr. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 280,481

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-234) This application is a division of application No. 132,619, filed August 21, 1961, now Patent No. 3,092,282, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

This invention relates generally to freight handling apparatus and more particularly to automatic container ties for coupling shipping containers in abutting relationship.

It is often desired to couple two or more shipping containers together to form a structurally independent assembly that accepts, for example, a fifth wheel of a conventional tractor at one end and a conventional wheel suspension at the other end. Such a container assembly and the application thereof to the aforementioned mode of transportation is fully disclosed in application Serial No. 112,635 filed May 25, 1961 for: Shipping Apparatus and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

Often, such a pair of shipping containers must be coupled or uncoupled in the field without the use of auxiliary handling equipment. Preferably, the coupling and uncoupling operation can be accomplished by the tractordriver working alone and in such a manner that the operation is positive yet completely safe.

The present invention provides for automatic coupling of a pair of shipping containers thereby to form a substantially rigid structural unit. Coupling and subsequent uncoupling are accomplished without requiring auxiliary equipment by novel ties that are easily conditioned for coupling or uncoupling. In addition, positive locking and safety mechanisms are automatically engaged to insure the integrity of the coupled assembly.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is an improved automatic container tie.

Another object is an automatic container tie for transferring load between a pair of shipping containers.

Another object is a container tie that is positively engageable upon movement of a pair of shipping containers into abutting relationship with one another.

Another object is an automatic container tie that is engageable or disengageable from a pair of shipping containers without requiring auxiliary handling equipment.

Another object is an automatic container tie having integral locking means.

Another object is an automatic container tie that can be preconditioned for automatic movement to the locking or unlocking condition.

Another object is a container tie having an automatically lockable safety means for maintaining the container tie in the locked condition.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a lower container tie;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the lower container tie in the ready-to-uncouple condition; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the container tie in the ready-to-couple condition.

As discussed in the aforementioned application, a pair of containers and 21 are provided with pins 266 and 201, respectively, at the lower corners thereof that extend transversely of a pair of recessed faces 292 and 263 on the containers 20 and 21. The pins 206 and 201 accept a pair of engageable jaws 204 and 206 which comprise the lower container tie 24. The jaw 204 has an aperture 208 for the acceptance of the pin 200. The jaw 204 also has a threaded aperture 210 for the acceptance of a locking screw 212 that is engageable with the pin 200 to lock the jaw 2G4 thereon at a desired rotative position with respect to the pin 201). The screw 212 also precludes axial movement of the jaw 204 off the pin 200.

The jaw 264 has a gooseneck portion 214 with a latching surface 216 thereon for engagement with a complementary latching surface 218 on a gooseneck portion 220 of the jaw 206.

The jaw 206 is essentially similar in construction to the jaw 204 and has an aperture 222 for the acceptance of the pin 201 on the container 21 so as to be rotatable thereabout. The jaw 206 is restrained from axial movement with respect to the pin 201 by a slidable pin 230 that is supported in a complementary bore 232 in the jaw 2% and is acceptable in an annular groove 233 in the pin 201. The pin 230 serves a dual function, as will be described.

A function-control lever 240 is pivotally secured to the jaw 206 as by a pin 242 that is threadably engaged in a complementary bore 244. A tensioned spring 246 is secured at one end 247 to an end portion 248 of the lever 240 and at the other end 249 to the container 21 as by a bolt 250. Thus, as seen in FIG. 1, the spring 246 is conditioned to bias the jaw 206 counterclockwise about the pin 201. Rotation of the lever 240 about the screw 242 to the position shown in FIG. 2, changes the line of action of the spring 246 with respect to the axis of the pin 261 so as to bias the jaw 206 clockwise with respect thereto.

A locking block 260 is pivotally secured to the jaw 206 as by a pin 262 that is threadably engaged in a complementary bore 264 in the jaw 206. The block 260 is normally indexed to the locked position shown in FIG. 1, by a ball detent 266 that is engageable in a complementary recess 268 in the jaw 2%. Rotation of the block 260 to the position shown in FIG. 2 conditions the jaw 2% for clockwise rotation under the bias of the spring 246, as will be described.

As best seen in FIG. 3, the jaw 206 is conditioned for counterclockwise rotation about the pin 201 into engagement with the jaw 264 by advancement of the pin 230 so that a head portion 270 thereof is engageable under a stud 272. In this condition, an outer end portion 274 of the pin 23!) extends relatively farther out of the supporting bore 232 in the jaw 206 so that, as the containers 20 and 21 move toward one another, the end portion 274 engages the gooseneck portion 214 of the jaw 204, whereupon the pin 230 is biased to the right, as seen in FIG. 3. Upon movement of the head portion 270 of the pin 230 out from under the stud 272, the jaw 2-136 moves counterclockwise under the bias of the spring 246. Counterclockwise rotation of the jaw 2416 brings the latching surface 218 thereof into engagement with the latching surface 216 of the jaw 204 to couple the containers 2t and 21 into a substantially rigid unit. After the jaw 206 has moved into engagement with the jaw 204, the locking block 260 is rotated from the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the position shown in FIG. 1, thus precluding clockwise rotation of the jaw 296 and spurious uncoupling of the container tie 24.

To condition the container tie 24 for uncoupling, the lever 246 and block 260 are rotated to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Upon movement of the containers 2t) and 21 toward One another, which is accomplished as by locking the brakes on a tandem suspension and backing a tractor and container 20 toward the container 21, the latching surfaces 216 and 218 are separated slightly, allowing the jaw 206 to rotate clockwise under the bias of the spring 246 to effect uncoupling of the container tie 24.

Thus, it will be seen that the container tie can be conditioned for coupling or uncoupling, which operation can be efiected solely by the tractor-driver by moving the containers 20 and 21 toward one another. 7 It is to be understood that, the specific construction of the improved automatic container tie herein disclosed and described is presented for the purpose of explanation and illustration and is not intended to indicate limits of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the following claims.

What is claimed is: V

1. In a shipping apparatus comprising a pair of juxtaposed shipping containers having spaced parallel pins thereon, means for coupling the containers 'in said juxtaposed relationship comprising a pair of jaws engageable about the pins, respectively, and with each other to preclude relative movementof the pins away from each other in a direction generally normal to the axes thereof, and 20 resilient means engageable with one of said jaws and conditionable for biasing said one jaw toward engagement and disengagement, selectively, with the other of said jaws upon movement of the containers toward one another.

2. In a shipping apparatus comprising a pair of juxtaposed shipping containers having spaced parallel pins thereon, means for coupling the containers in said juxtaposed relationship comprising a pair of jaws engageable about the pins, respectively, and with each other to preclude relative movement of the pins away from each other in a' direction generally normal to the axis thereof, means for latching one of said jaws in a ready-to-couple condition, said latching means being movable to an unlatched condition upon engagement with the other of said jaws,

Vordemfelde June 2, 1903 2,841,094 Schumacher July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,056,537 France May 14, 1952 

1. IN A SHIPPING APPARATUS COMPRISING A PAIR OF JUXTAPOSED SHIPPING CONTAINERS HAVING SPACED PARALLEL PINS THEREON, MEANS FOR COUPLING THE CONTAINERS IN SAID JUXTAPOSED RELATIONSHIP COMPRISING A PAIR OF JAWS ENGAGEABLE ABOUT THE PINS, RESPECTIVELY, AND WITH EACH OTHER TO PRECLUDE RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE PINS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER IN A DIRECTION GENERALLY NORMAL TO THE AXES THEREOF, AND RESILIENT MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH ONE OF SAID JAWS AND CONDITIONABLE FOR BIASING SAID ONE JAW TOWARD ENGAGEMENT AND DISENGAGEMENT, SELECTIVELY, WITH THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS UPON MOVEMENT OF THE CONTAINERS TOWARD ONE ANOTHER. 